This archive report was first published on 26 July 2019.
Published on July 26, 2019, Harambee Stars head coach Sebastien Migne has expressed confidence in his team despite the transfer of experienced players to foreign leagues ahead of the 2020 African Nations Championship (Chan) first round qualifier against Tanzania on Sunday.
Migne admitted it will be tough without at least half of the team that featured in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt. The Frenchman will miss the services of midfielder Francis Kahata and goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo who have joined Tanzanian giants Simba SC and Young Africans respectively.
He will also be without Sofapaka FC striker John Avire, who is at the centre of a transfer saga that saw Football Kenya Federation Chief Executive Officer Robert Muthomi step aside, and winger Paul Were - whose whereabouts are unknown.
However, Migne remains optimistic, saying, "We have tried to prepare well for the qualifiers. This is totally a new team because we have lost at least half the team in the transfer market. Paul Were is not there also Farouk (Shikalo). We need to find a solution. I hope we will have a good answer in a few days. We have lost a lot of players. It will be difficult, but a good opportunity for others like young (Musa) Masika to show their quality,"
Kenya will meet Tanzania in the first leg on Sunday in Dar es Salaam and then play host to their neighbours on August 4 in Nairobi. Migne’s side leaves for Tanzania on Friday afternoon, and he is also expected to unveil his traveling party on the same day.
